Hunters outgunned

By ISAAC LIRI
A CLASSY Sunshine Falcons outfit gave the Papua New Guinea Hunters their third loss of the Q-Cup season on Saturday, beating the SP-sponsored franchise 38-14 at Sunshine Coast Stadium.
“It was disappointing to loss, I think we just didn’t turn up to play but we prepared well all week, we did everything possible in our training,” Hunters coach Michael Marum said on arrival at the Jackson International Airport yesterday.
“We were not into the game in the first 20 minutes and then at the back of the second-half, we couldn’t find our way there so it was really disappointing.
“There were a lot of ball handling and defensive errors but we just have to work on it before our next game this weekend at home against Redcliffe,” Marum said.
Falcons’ five-eighth Alex Bishop put the home side on the board in the early stages of the game with a converted try in the third minute.
The Hunters were penalised for encroaching inside the 10m, which gave Falcons goal-kicker Guy Hamilton the opportunity to extend the lead to 8-0.
Weak edge defence from the Hunters saw former Hunters winger Justin Olam, pictured, run into a hole and sprint 80m to score another converted try for the Melbourne Storm feeder club.
“I think Olam was really outstanding in that first 40 minutes, he only played one half so it’s good to see him play like that because it shows how far he is in terms of his game so hopefully we see him run out with Storm colours,” Marum said of Olam.
The Hunters bounced back with a try by fullback Bland Abavu which Ase Boas failed to convert for a 14-4 halftime score.
Falcons winger Samuel Wright scored 11 minutes into the second half with Hamilton adding the extras from out wide to extend lead but the visitors were quick to bounce back with another unconverted try to winger Karo Kauna Junior.
Continuous errors from the Hunters came off good defence from the Falcons preventing Marum’s men from earning points as Falcons hooker Brendan Smith scored to put the home side in front by 18 points.
With 10 minutes remaining before fulltime Wright grabbed his second try which Hamilton dutifully converted again from out wide.
Falcons fullback Jerome Hughes scored under the posts taking advantage of the tired Hunters defence which was easily converted by Hamilton for a perfect seven from seven for the match.
Abavu scored a consolation try right on fulltime to narrow the deficit to the 24 point but there was no hiding the fact that the visitors had been comprehensively beaten by a side who on current form is the best in the competition after six rounds.
Sunshine Coast Falcons 38 (Alex Bishop, Justin Olam, Matthew Soper-Lawler 2, Brandon Smith, Jahrome Hughes tries; Guy Hamilton 6 con, pen) PNG Hunters 14 (Bland Abavu 2, Karo Kauna Jr tries; Ase Boas con).
Round 6 Results: Sat, April 8 – Ipswich Jets 20 Easts Tigers 22, Sunshine Coast Falcons 38 PNG Hunters 14, Northern Pride 18 Townsville Blackhawks 28, CQ Capras 22 Mackay Cutters 38; Sun, April 9 – Burleigh Bears 22 Tweed Heads Seagulls 16, Souths Logan Magpies 42 Norths Devils 22, Wynnum Manly Seagulls 0 Redcliffe Dolphins 24.